Workplace Tension

...is the dumbest kind of tension.  It is so insignificant in the grand scheme of life, and for someone like me who completely forgets all about work once I clock out, it's pretty entertaining.  I just don't care.  I have a pretty laid back job that involves sitting in front of a computer, printing wedding registries, registering couples, helping them decide on china patterns, and ringing up customers in the home store of Macy's.  All in all a fluff job with a decent pay for someone who has yet to finish college.  Now, all that said, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to effectively perform said duties.  I'm no Einstein, but I am very intelligent and more computer literate than anyone in my department, save my manager [he happens to be in school for IT].  My skills are vital to moving things along much of the time.  I'm everyone's go-to for computer/printer issues and even some register functions.  Therefore I can see how sometimes my technological IQ can be intimidating.  I am the youngest person in my dept. [only 7 people including me], my manager just turned 30.  The next closest in age is 40 and then it goes all the way up to 73 or so.  No one here is really a peer that I would socialize with in my natural environment.  And therefore many typical tensions may arise.  Racial, socio-economic, generational, these differences cause undue complications on a day to day basis;

*people hold in stupid things they think you did and bring them up with such a passive-aggressive casual accusation it makes me want to die laughing.

*some people are simply over-qualified for this position and refuse to tone down their professionalism.  There is such a thing as being too good.  It's just Macy's.

*I simply do not get paid enough to care enough to do too much.  Period.  Cut the check!

*I enjoy customer service but only when the customer respects me as a person doing a job and not a servant fulfilling my destiny.  Get a grip you ignorant insult to humanity.

But even after all of that, the people at this job are like a second family.  Sometimes we argue and don't like each other so much, but there's something about the workplace that causes you to be more open about your personal life than is necessary or even appropriate.  A bond is formed and a professional love develops.  Some of these people I will never forget.